Local family reunited with lost dog that was found in Lexington, Ky.

Local family reunited with lost dog that was found in Lexington, Ky.

A local family was reunited with their lost dog that was found nearly 200 miles away in Lexington, Ky.

“I would have never thought to look in Lexington, Ky. for my dog,” said owner Erin Hernell.

Hernell’s dog, Mack, took off running out of their southwest side home and disappeared without a trace. The family said it wasn’t much of a surprise since Mack had gotten out before, but Hernell said this time it was different because he was gone for more than a week.

“The way the weather’s been around here, I was just hoping it was indoors, not in the snowy, wet conditions we’ve been having,” said Hernell.

Hernell’s hopes were answered, but not in the way she thought. She got a call from a Humane Society volunteer, who stated Mack had been found and identified by his embedded microchip. However, it was almost 200 miles away in Kentucky.

“I thought it was joke,” said Hernell. “I honestly did when they said Mack was found in Lexington, Ky. I thought it was some kid on Craigslist. I thought it was a joke, I thought no way.”

Mack had somehow ended up traveling down Interstate 65 to Louisville, and then across I-64 to Lexington.

Hernell thinks he hitched a ride with a trucker, who may have been looking for a new friend.

“I’m guessing, cause it’s close to the interstate,” Hernell said. “Truck driver was looking for a companion.”
Hernell said she also used social media to help find Mack and said she was contacted on the “Indy Lost Pet” page on Facebook.

She said the key to this happy ending was micro chipping her dog. Without it, who knows how far Mack would have wandered.